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With DeJuan Blair on the bench, Panthers' inside game suffered.
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Comment: What do you think about UD's win?
Sunday, December 30, 2007
DAYTON — By the time the Pittsburgh basketball team entered UD Arena on Saturday, DeJuan Blair had become a Paul Bunyan-esque character in college basketball.
Especially after grabbing 20 rebounds against Duke in Pitt's most recent win to keep its record perfect, the 6-foot-7, 265-pounder worried Flyers fans with his sheer bulk. In UD's 80-55 domination of the sixth-ranked Panthers, though, Blair was a foul-ridden non-factor that changed the Pitt offense and helped the Flyers to their 10th straight win.
Extras
"That hurts us tremendously," said Pitt forward Sam Young of Blair, who finished with nine points and six rebounds. "He does a lot for us in a lot of categories."
Blair, who entered averaging 12.1 points and 10.1 rebounds, had a strong beginning from the opening tip, which he swatted away from UD center Kurt Huelsman, to his first basket, a flawless baseline turnaround jump shot on Pitt's fourth possession.
Wide open under the basket, Blair scored again for his third and fourth points with 10:18 left in the half, and they were the last of his opening frame. A little more than a minute later, he was called for over-the-back while attempting to rebound a Levance Fields 3-pointer. He didn't see the court for the rest of the half with two fouls.
By the time Gilbert Brown was whistled for his third foul for the Panthers with a little less than a minute left in the opening period, Blair was stretched out on the bench, sitting back with his arms over two chairs.
He didn't stay long in the second half, either. His third foul, another on a rebound, came just 1:08 into the half, and his fourth was called on a strong move toward the basket by Huelsman with 16:04 left. Again dispatched to the bench, Blair removed the Panthers' inside game as they struggled to shoot from the outside (3-of-25 from 3-point range).
Huelsman, meanwhile, finished with 12 points in his most aggressive game in two seasons with the team.
"That's a guy who's capable of 20 rebounds, so you need him," said Keith Benjamin, the Pitt guard. "He can totally change the game when he's in."
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com
Comments
By Emily
January 3, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
Pitt fans who complain about the officials are cry babies - Pitt was whistled for one more foul than Dayton the who game and were called for about the same number of fouls as their last 4 games
By Tip
January 1, 2008 7:30 AM | Link to this
Now we get to see how mature our Flyers can be. Akron is coming to town and they are surely proud of their 10-2 record. The Flyers need to put an explanation point on this great vistory over Pitt by managing this next game with class and style. They don’t have to crush the Zips; just get the lead and build on it early. Then manage the victory by keeping it in double digits down the stretch. The naysayers spout that Dayton has been lucky because of injuries that hobbled Louisville and Pitt.
By Jeff
December 31, 2007 9:35 PM | Link to this
Keep in mind come tournament time, you won’t have the benefit of the homer officials. Give me a break, the only reason Dayton was leading at half time was that they made 17 out of 18 FT’s, while Pitt got to shoot less than half that amount. Some of the calls and non-calls were almost comical. Sam Young gets submarined on an alley oop and no foul call was made. You can’t tell me that Pitt was the only one fouling. Dayton was shooting double bonus FT’s with 9 minutes left in the first half.
By Chris Berry
December 31, 2007 1:26 PM | Link to this
The Pitt win was the most impressive game by the Dayton Flyers in my lifetime. This team continues to step up and improve with every win. The Miami win seems to have given the Flyers a tremendous confindence boost and now the sky is the limit. I am impressed with M. Johnson, he really came through and filled the void of C. Wright. Kudos to K. Huelsman for the tremendous work that he did scoring and filling the middle. Bravo coach Gregory, great work.
By Chris
December 31, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this
Brian Roberts has certainly proved himself to the nation to be one of the best guards in the country. This is something that most UD fans already knew. He deserves all of the accolades he is getting from ESPN.com, the A 10, and all the other places that are starting to take notice of him. As a Flyer I already knew this about him, so what I find to be the best part of this incredible run is the improvement and maturation of Marcus Johnson. His game has improved leaps and bounds just this year
By Rogue
December 31, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this
Give Pitt credit! They are an amazing team and showed they have more marbles than teams like Duke and North Carolina that won’t come play at our house. Also, look at all the teams that have bailed on our rivalries like DePaul and Marquette. ANYTHING is possible in that arena. I was glad to be there for the greatest UD game ever. Hopefully some of the other BCS teams will come try to show what they have now.
By Jim Weeks
December 31, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this
I graduated from UD in 1966 and went on go grad school at Syracuse. I’m now here in Denver and watching Carmelo on the Nuggets. My loyalty, however, has always been to the Flyers and for the past 41 years I’ve followed them each season. I was lucky to be at UD when Donnie May and the team went to the NCAA finals against UCLA and won the NIT tournament against Kansas. It’s starting to feel like the current squad has the talent and drive to do great things again. From a senior citizen Flyer.
By Crazy-Flyer
December 31, 2007 9:28 AM | Link to this
I dearly love UD and wish them great success this year. They definitely deserve it. However, before we get to far off-track here, let’s remember that UD beat a Louisville squad that was missing a key player to start the game and then a couple of key players got benched during the game. Pitt was also missing a key player and was playing in a hostile UD Arena.
The real test will be to see how UD responds to an average A-10 opponent on an early Saturday afternoon come 2008.
By pat
December 31, 2007 1:46 AM | Link to this
Yes! I stand corrected! It has been almost 40 years since the great teams with Donnie May and company from the late 1960’s!
I should remember that! I was a student at UD at that time!
But, hope this team continues to give us just as much excitement!
By Joe
December 30, 2007 10:34 PM | Link to this
Loved the game and love reading these comments. I too am a transplanted Flyer Fan. Virginia! Was in high school during those HALCION Don May Days! Not 30 years ago ( one writer) but make it 40 years ago. Let’s just hope that May and Hooper and Finkle and Donoher MOJO continues to resonate with these Flyers! Great coaching Bryan!
By Joe
December 30, 2007 10:34 PM | Link to this
Loved the game and love reading these comments. I too am a transplanted Flyer Fan. Virginia! Was in high school during those HALCION Don May Days! Not 30 years ago ( one writer) but make it 40 years ago. Let’s just hope that May and Hooper and Finkle and Donoher MOJO continues to resonate with these Flyers! Great coaching Bryan!
By Matt
December 30, 2007 9:21 PM | Link to this
I don’t remember a game that big at UD Arena since the Ed Young game against DePaul (Which we attended). Living now in North Carolina, It’s great to see the Flyers back beating quality national opponents. Even with a huge lead, I couldn’t turn the game off and enjoyed every second of it. I only wish I could have been there and hit Flanagan’s afterward. GO FLYERS!
By pervin
December 30, 2007 8:16 PM | Link to this
I believe its more like 40 years since Don May played for UD. Anyway this is a great win for the program and should be a boost for recruiting since the whole nation got to see our facility and the great fans!
By patricia klein
December 30, 2007 7:16 PM | Link to this
All the way out here in Utah this win is big news, believe it! This just might be the year for a big run in the NCAA March Madness big dance! I think it will be 30 years this coming spring since the great heyday of Donnie May and company! How exciting!!
By Harry the Horse
December 30, 2007 6:45 PM | Link to this
I haven’t seen such a pure stroke from the outside in a Flyers uniform like Brian Roberts since # 10 from Roth High School the Late Great Donald Smith thrilled Flyer fans with his outside shot. B Rob reminds me of a young Mike Bibby. And with the lack of outside shooting point guards in the NBA the Toledo Flash seems destined for greater things ahead. But the other Brian had a great night also. Brian Gregory has grown as a coach and his teams seem so prepared for anything that comes their way.
By Ted Greene
December 30, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
It was great watching Dayton play such a great basketball game, especially being a life-long UD fan. Living in North Carolina now, I have become a transplanted Duke fan having married an Iron Duke! I wish much success to the Dayton basketball program. It brought back memories of Don Donaher (sp?) and Tom Blackburn eras. Go Flyers!!
By pitt fan
December 30, 2007 5:13 PM | Link to this
how about 2 out of 3?
By joe grossi
December 30, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this
This win was extraordinary! I expected Pitt to win after seeing how they were able to come back against Duke after being down by 12. U.D. had to show that they were more than a one-man offensive machine, and did they ever show it! While Dayton’s defense was able to neutralize the Pitt attack, give credit to Huelsman and the rest of the team for stepping up offensively. What a morale booster!I look forward to the postseason. Joe ’ 63
By joe grossi
December 30, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this
This win was extraordinary! I expected Pitt to win after seeing how they were able to come back against Duke after being down by 12. U.D. had to show that they were more than a one-man offensive machine, and did they ever show it! While Dayton’s defense was able to neutralize the Pitt attack, give credit to Huelsman and the rest of the team for stepping up offensively. What a morale booster!I look forward to the postseason. Joe ’ 63
By joe grossi
December 30, 2007 4:02 PM | Link to this
This win was extraordinary! I expected Pitt to win after seeing how they were able to come back against Duke after being down by 12. U.D. had to show that they were more than a one-man offensive machine, and did they ever show it! While Dayton’s defense was able to neutralize the Pitt attack, give credit to Huelsman and the rest of the team for stepping up offensively. What a morale booster!I look forward to the postseason. Joe ’ 63
By Jeff Jeffries
December 30, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this
I believe the most shocking aspect of this game was to watch UD establish dominance in the very area which was supposed to be Pitt’s greatest area of strength. The Flyer’s inside game was effective throughout while, the statistic 3/25 from 3 pt. range speaks volumes to Pitt’s lack of confidence to score inside the paint as the game wore on. Kurt Huelsman impressed me with his toughness, & Marcus Johnson provided highlight reel acts deserving of Sportscenter replays throughout the weekend.
By Jeff
December 30, 2007 2:08 PM | Link to this
I believe the most shocking aspect of this game was to watch UD establish dominance in the very area which was supposed to be Pitt’s greatest area of strength. The Flyer’s inside game was effective throughout while, the statistic 3/25 from 3 pt. range speaks volumes to Pitt’s lack of confidence to score inside the paint as the game wore on. Kurt Huelsman impressed me with his toughness, & Marcus Johnson provided highlight reel acts deserving of Sportscenter replays throughout the weekend.
By Scott Herman
December 30, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this
Pitt was out coached and out played. The Flyers defense wore Pitt out. They could not figure out how to beat it. When you start seeing players shoot the ball out of rythum, you know they (Dayton) are doing a great job.
If Dayton plats it game by game, there is no reason why they cannot finish some where a round 22-6